Traveling Lite Baby Names

Rayen is well-known in Chile, and sometimes seen in the Netherlands, as a Mapuche girls name meaning flower. This name could be an alternative to people who like Ryan but want to keep it as a boys name or as a spunkier alternative to other names that mean flower, such as Fleur and Flora.

Tashi is a Tibetan word meaning "good fortune," and is also used as a given name and surname in Tibet and Bhutan.

Somewhat flat-footed form; go for the original.

Ilsa is remembered as the radiant but tragic heroine of "Casablanca," and it's having something of a European resurgence.

This Basque form of the sturdy classic brings a fresh, cool edge to Andrew. It fits in with other -er ending names while also giving the name an international feel.

This form, coming from various elements, has started to take off on its own.

Noor is the prevailing spelling of this beautiful Arabic name, while Nour is preferred in many European countries, including France and Spain.

Italian heritage name. It's sweet and simple, but has fallen almost out of use since its heyday in the 1960s.

A Quranic name especially popular in South Asia, it is also used across Europe, from Bosnia to France, from Spain to England. It appears in the Quran as the name of Maryam's (the Virgin Mary) father, and as the father of Moses, making it a counterpart to Hebrew Joachim or a variant of Hebrew Amran. The meaning of Imran isn't listed in the Quran, however, from its Hebrew roots, it could mean "exalted nation", or it could come from the Arabic word eimran meaning "prosperity".

Simple but sultry.

Strongly associated with the city of Tel Aviv. For girls, may be lengthened to Aviva; for boys, might be better abbreviated to Avi.

Azra is a perennial favorite Arabic name for girls in Turkey, Bosnia and Croatia. In the West, Azra could become a fresher take on Virginia or a more feminine spin on Ezra.

This variant of the Arabic Zayd actually ranks higher than the original in the US. In the contemporary American culture, however, this name could be viewed as an alternative to recently invented name Zade.

In Roman mythology, Iana was an epithet of Diana, goddess of the moon.

Often stands alone in Israel, but rarely here.

A sweet, simple mini-name that fits into many cultures. The only drawback is the potential for confusion with Ella, Ayla, and other similar names.

Dua is one of those names that has been popularized in English speaking countries by a single celebrity: British-Albanian model-singer Dua Lipa. It's simple, modern, appealing, and may find a wider audience thanks to its attractive namesake.

This shortened variation of Aaron—it was Elvis's middle name—is now a widely used choice.